Jewel
by crims0nfire
Summary: Born in the western castle, Kagome won the hearts of those in the west that faithful night. All...except one. But as she grows in wisdom, beauty, and strength, Sesshomaru begins to fear his growing feelings for her and sends her away. Years later, she returns as an envoy from China and Sesshomaru can no longer deny his feelings for her.


**I can't stop the ideas guys…but…then again…I Don't Want To! Enjoy!**

**-Crims0nfire**

The night was restless. It was dark and sinister as if foretelling the damnation of some unlucky soul. Lightning struck, and thunder roared. It was so melancholic that it was foolish to ignore it. The entire west castle felt it: the grave pressure that something was about to transpire. It weighed on everyone—servants, concubines, warriors, even the infamous lord of the west, Sesshomaru.

He sat regally in his chambers; on the luxurious furs and pillows lay in front of his desk. The gloomy atmosphere of his castle had begun to irritate him. Usually, he welcomed silence. But this was different. The servants were sluggish, his soldiers practiced with half-hearted swings of their sword. Even he couldn't seem to focus on his work.

Reaching the peek of his irascibility, he stood and walked out of the room. He walked down the corridor and took in the way his servants bowed tiredly. Bags of fatigue decorated their dull eyes. Dirt and sweet covered their poorly dressed bodies. They roamed the halls as if they were lifeless corpses.

It was maddening, bewildering, perplexing, baffling, etc.! How was it possible for the weather to affect them like this? Were the heavens unhappy? Unlikely. The shrines paid tributes regularly and no one had yet to commit an offense. But what else could explain the strange effect the striking and roaring sky had on them.

Sesshomaru increased his pace and ignored the rest of the slaves. Soon, he arrived at the head courtyard. As expected, his warriors stood woefully. They gripped their swords languidly and swung at one another as if it were their first time with a weapon. The archers stood at their target stations and not one of them could hit their targets. It disgusted Sesshomaru to watch. These were cold-blooded men—some of them literally—who he had seen slay without so much as batting an eye. But here they were, sniveling like pups without their mothers.

He stood there, emotionlessly gazing at them and waiting till they acknowledged his presence—which they should have sensed the minute he was there. One soldier met his gaze, dropped his sword and bowed lowly. The rest followed.

Satisfied, Sesshomaru walked to stand amidst them. They all kept their heads down and tired eyes downcast. Golden eyes swept over their bent bodies before he spoke.

"What are you all doing?" He asked, daring anyone to give him an answer that wouldn't cost them their lives. They bowed their heads lower and stayed silent.

"Do not provoke me to asked again." He warned.

A bulky warrior managed to become bold, even with the clear depression that hung over his head.

"We apologize milord. This night seems to be taking its toll on us all. Not one of us has the slightest energy. " He explained, voice flowing with the fatigue that was painted on his rough face.

Sesshomaru was not pleased.

"You must be more tired than I thought if you think I find that excuse relevant. You are warriors. Even if the sky falls or death is at your door, you fight. I will not have petulant fools taint the reputation of my lands simply because the sky is dark. Is that clear?" His unsympathetic and cold voice rivaled that of the cold air. But even so, the men nodded and the stormy clouds of unrest remained.

"Continue." The men once again resumed their robotic movements and Sesshomaru continued to glower at them.

"Lord Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru glanced at the female servant that came to bow at his side.

"Speak." He reverted his eyes to his soldiers.

"There is a woman in the court room who requests your presence." The servant explained with a yawn. Sesshomaru's eyes snapped to her in warning and she immediately closed her mouth.

"Send her away. I do not wish to put up with the wench." Her waved a clawed hand in dismissal. But the servant stayed.

"Forgive me lord Sesshomaru but we cannot. She desperately requests to see you. Your Lord-father is there and even he cannot get her to leave. He told me to bring you."

Sesshomaru growled but nonetheless walked to the court room. As the servant said, his father was there. He turned swiftly, sensing his son's presence and walked towards him. Even he, the great Dog general, looked as if he had seen better days.

"Father." Sesshomaru acknowledged.

"Son, I'm glad you're here. Apparently there is a strange force causing everyone to behave as if they haven't slept in days. This woman claims to know something about it." Inutaisho explained, his brows creased in incredulity and frustration.

Sesshomaru glanced behind his father and his brow rose at the sight.

A woman lay sprawled out on the floor, surrounded by servants trying to persuade her to leave. By her swollen womb, he concluded she was pregnant. By her scent, she was human. Brown hair, entwined with twigs and leaves, covered her face. Baggy rags adorned her body. Her small, pale hand gripped her stomach and her face was twisted in pain. Sesshomaru's eyes drifted lower and narrowed. Blood streamed out from beneath the woman's legs, a clear sign of an upcoming miscarriage.

The woman's haunted brown eyes lifted from the floor and landed on Sesshomaru. Relief seemed to flood through them and Sesshomaru could only wonder why.

Miraculously, she stood on swollen ankles. Startled, the slaves stretched their arms, in case she was to fall. Still and slowly, she managed to make her way to Sesshomaru and his father, her bare feet trailing blood. Her legs however, could only hold out so long and she stumbled forward. His father's arm shot out and caught her by the arm. She paid it no mind and focused her frantic eyes on Sesshomaru.

"You—you _must _save this child." She said desperately.

Both of the Taiyoukai's brows shot into their hairlines. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. He _must_?! Who was _she_ to give _him_ orders?

"You will leave this instant." Sesshomaru spoke and turned to leave when her cold hand shot out and—surprisingly—gripped his arm in a vice. Sesshomaru stilled and everyone in the room sucked in a silent gasp. Slowly, Sesshomaru turned and cold golden eyes settled on the woman before him. Strangely, not a flicker of fear passed through her eyes, only desperation.

"I'm begging you! This child _**must not**_ die, it will ruin us all!" She begged. By now, Sesshomaru's father had released her arm and could only stare at the woman in bewilderment.

"It is not my concern whether your child dies or not. **Leave." **Sesshomaru replied coldly and once again turned.

"I know of the strange events that are taking place in this castle and I know why." She challenged.

Sesshomaru stopped walking but did not turn around.

"Tell me, do anyone of you in this room feel sluggish anymore?" She questioned knowingly. Sesshomaru's eyes widened a fraction with the realization that she was right. His senses were no longer clouded. Heads of servants turned to one another in agreement and shock.

"This child is the reason why your energy is restored. But, if it where to die, I cannot guarantee your safety. You must—Ah!" She clutched her stomach once more and her body lurched forward, only to be caught by Touga once again. Her breathing came in heavy pants and her pleading eyes were beginning to fade.

"**Please!" **She shrieked.

Sesshomaru could not smell deceit from this woman but still, his reluctance remained. But against his better judgment, he said: "Bring her to the healer's room. Call the physician. If that child dies, you will follow."

The servants rushed to the woman. The strongest men carried her and walked hastily towards the back of the castle with restored energy. The rest ran ahead to bring the royal physician. Sesshomaru and his father remained in the room.

"Her scent does not smell of lies." Touga said and stared after the entourage of slaves, before following.

"Hn." Sesshomaru said silently before he too followed.

Sesshomaru arrived at the small barn that was the healer's room. Servants ran back and forth bringing tools and herbs at the old physician's command. The strange woman was put at on a stack of soft hay. A blanket was draped over her parted legs. Blood pooled around her feet and sweat covered her face. Her breathing was labored and came out in rhythmic patterns that Sesshomaru had seen many pregnant women use. Her hands gripped the hay so tightly that her already pale knuckles turned a stark white.

Kaede, the old physician, stood at her old table hunched over and fixing the necessary tools. She turned and bowed as low as her back would allow to her lords.

Sesshomaru nodded his head at her. She was one of the few people—though she was human—that he respected. His eyes followed her as she walked to the woman. She rested her wrinkled hands on the woman's womb and probed. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed when Kaede gasped and her eyes widened. Quickly, she rushed to the stool set in front of the makeshift hay bed and sat on it. She lifted the blanket and poked her head inside of it.

"Oh my God!" She whispered/gasped.

She stood and practically ran to where both Lords were standing. Her brown eyes looked apprehensively at the floor.

"What is it?" Sesshomaru demanded. Kaede looked up with wide eyes.

"That woman…is still pure." She whispered, bewilderment and unbelief in both her face and voice.

"I beg your pardon? Pure? How is that possible?" Touga exclaimed. Kaede shook her head.

"I do not know my lord. But nonetheless, she is pregnant. I will have to cut open her stomach to save the child. I'm afraid it's the only way." Kaede explained while shaking her head, causing gray strands of hair to escape from their bun.

"That means—" Touga began.

"Yes. The mother will die." Kaede said woefully.

Silence took them for some seconds before the woman spoke. "Do it… You… must save… the child." She said in between gasps.

"But miss…" Kaede tried to reason.

"**Do it!" **The woman yelled and Kaede winced. She sighed before nodding.

Everyone in the room stilled as Kaede walked to her table and selected a clean dagger and cloth. She walked to stand beside the woman and put the cloth in the woman's mouth. She would need something to bite down on. Tears prickled at the corners of the woman's eyes as she stared up at the wooden roof.

Kaede wagged a finger at a servant woman to stand beside her. Slowly, she took the dagger and inserted it into the stomach. A muffled scream ripped out from the woman's strained throat before they calmed to rapid breaths. Kaede closed her eyes to calm her herself before she slowly slit the woman's belly. Blood stained her hands and clothes.

"Get a wet cloth to stop the blood." Kaede commanded. The servant by her side nodded and brought cloth to mop the blood.

"Hold the skin apart." Again, the servant did as she was told.

The minute the skins and flesh were pulled apart, everyone in the room watched in amazement as a pink light burst from inside the woman. The lesser demons in the room hissed in pain while the more powerful winced at the energy. '_Holy energy…interesting.' _Sesshomaru contemplated.

Kaede set the dagger aside and reached her hands carefully inside. Slowly, the light and energy subsided altogether as she pulled a small, bloodied body from within the woman.

A shrill cry broke from the newborn. Slowly, small smiles broke out from each individual's faces—except Sesshomaru's who only stared—as they listened to the baby cry out its birth.

And just like that, as if appeased by the child's cry, the skies cleared. The black, stormy clouds receded and the lightning and thunder ceased. The strange depression that had taken hold of the west was shattered by the baby's cry as if it was never there.

'_So the woman spoke true…' _Sesshomaru thought. He looked around the room and could see the color and liveliness return to everyone's faces. From the head courtyard, he could hear the fierce clashing or swords and battle cries.

"It's a girl." Kaede said, as she cleaned the child as best she could and wrapped her in a rag. Kaede looked down and smiled softly at the woman. With a shaking hand, the woman reached up to stroke the child's face, a tired smile gracing her face. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she stared at the child she gave birth to but would never get to raise. "Thank you." She said to no one in particular.

"What is going on in here?" All heads turned to the barn doors to see Inukimi walk in, flanked by her best friend and mate's second wife, Izayoi. Both were donned in their sleeping yukatas. The servants parted to make way for the ladies of the west as both walked to stand by their husband.

Touga kissed both their cheeks, and both of them kissed Sesshomaru's—much to his irritation.

"Dear what is the meaning of—" Izayoi began before she was interrupted when Inukimi tapped her arm and pointed to the small bundle in Kaede's arms. "—oh my…" She finished.

The child continued to cry, her small, reflexive hands clutching at the air.

Maternal instincts seized them and both women, frustration forgotten, walked to her.

"How precious…" They cooed. Inukimi took the baby in her arms, careful not to poke her with her claws, and looked around the crowd of servants. "Do any of you have a newborn?" She asked the women.

"I do your lady ship." A small, red haired woman spoke meekly.

"Good. Come and feed the child."

The woman rushed forward and reluctantly, Inukimi placed the child in her arms. The red haired woman opened the hakama and directed her breast to the crying baby's mouth. The child's small, toothless mouth greedily sucked on the breast.

Touga walked forward and wrapped his arms around his mates. Together, they listened to the small cooing, and suckling noises the child made. A few minutes later, the child released the breast, full. Izayoi immediately snatched the child and rocked her gently in her arms.

"From now on, you will be responsible for feeding the child. Her hunger will be your death. Understand?" Inukimi commanded. The servant closed her hakama and nodded before returning to the crowd.

Touga, unable to resist the child's innocent beauty, gently ran a clawed hand through the child's tuft of soft, black hair. A fanged grin broke from his face when the child reflexively grabbed his finger in her small hand.

He chuckled. "She's got a strong grip!" He exclaimed proudly.

"Shh!" Inukimi chastised. "Look! She's opening her eyes." She whispered.

The servants inched as closely as they could to watch as the child's eyelids wiggled to open. They stood on the tip of their toes and pressed their fronts to another closer person's back. Even Sesshomaru, could not help but zero his gaze on the child's face as her eyelids fluttered open.

Gasped resounded through the room as they witnessed the piercing blue irises of the newborn. Sesshomaru's eyes widened when her large eyes gazed at him. His breath lodged in his throat and he felt an unfamiliar pull on his heart. Confused and shocked, he looked away.

"Oh! She's so beautiful!" Izayoi cooed and Inukimi smiled in agreement.

"Both you and your mother have done this land a great deed little one. Therefore, you shall be treated as royalty! A princess!" Touga proclaimed.

"Wonderful! I have always wanted a daughter." Izayoi exclaimed.

"Over my dead body! I shall raise her." Inukimi challenged. Izayoi glared at her best friend. Inukimi glared back.

"I don't see why you can't both raise her. She can never have too many mothers." Touga reasoned.

"Well…I suppose." Izayoi agreed. Inukimi gave a very unladylike grunt in reply before her frown softened when she looked at the innocent infant.

"But, what shall we name her?" Izayoi wondered.

"Please…" A soft, strained voice spoke. Heads turned toward the hay bed and landed on the dying woman on it. Her wet eyes were fading quickly. It was a miracle she had held on to her last string of life for so long. Her hand stretched forward weakly. "…name her Kagome, and tell her…I'm sorry."

Heads lowered as the woman's eyes dimmed and she died. Her hand fell at her side. Kaede swiped a hand over the woman's face to close her eyes and pulled the blanket over the woman's head in respect.

Touga's eyes saddened and he gave a small smile. "As the mother wishes—" He turned to the baby. "—you shall be called Kagome little one. Princess Kagome."

Everyone hummed with agreement and stared at the new addition to the castle, who had so quickly won their hearts.

In the corner of the barn, Sesshomaru stared at Kagome—who had fallen asleep from all the commotion—in deep thought and watched as everyone fawned over her

'_Born from a virgin mother…clears a cursed sky…Kagome…just what are you?'_

**Hope you guys enjoyed that! I plan to make this a long story. The next few chapters will be of Kagome's growth! Thanks for reading!**

**-crims0nfire.**


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